Abortion-by-pharmacist bill heads to House Finance for Monday

By SUZANNE DOWNING

April 10, 2026 – House Bill 195 is scheduled for a public testimony hearing in House Finance at 1:30 pm Monday, April 13, where lawmakers are expected to hear from abortion proponents about whether the measure should expand pharmacists’ authority to dispense abortion-inducing medications without a prior physician examination.

The legislation, sponsored by Democrat Rep. Genevieve Mina, focuses broadly on expanding what pharmacists may provide under “patient care services.” Supporters say the bill modernizes pharmacy practice and improves access to care, particularly in rural Alaska where physician shortages can limit timely treatment.

Co-sponsors are Reps. Andrew Gray, Mike Prax, Andi Story, and Ted Eischeid. All are Democrats except for Prax, who is a North Pole Republican.

The bill’s language is broad enough to allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense abortion medications without an in-person exam, effectively transforming pharmacies into primary access points for medication abortions. Some Republicans have tried calling for an amendment clarifying that abortion-inducing drugs are excluded, but that has been blocked by Democrats so far.

The proposed amendment circulating ahead of Monday’s hearing reads:

“Patient care services does not include the prescription, administration, or dispensing of an abortion-inducing drug to a patient.”

There are safety concerns because medication abortions typically involve a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol and may require screening for conditions such as ectopic pregnancy, gestational age limits, or other contraindications. Women have been known to bleed to death using these medications.

State data shows medication abortions have grown steadily in Alaska in recent years, becoming the majority of in-state procedures:

• 2022: 48% medication abortions
• 2023: 56% medication abortions (685 of 1,222 total)
• 2024: 60% medication abortions (59% mifepristone, 1% misoprostol alone; 1,224 total)
• 2025: 60% medication abortions (742 medication abortions out of 1,220 total)

These figures reflect abortions performed in Alaska facilities and do not include out-of-state procedures or mail-order abortions obtained by Alaska residents.

The upward trend in medication abortions has coincided with a decline in surgical procedures such as suction curettage and dilation and curettage, according to state reporting.

The House Finance Committee hearing Monday is expected to focus on whether to adopt the proposed amendment and whether the bill’s language should explicitly address abortion-related medications.

HB 195 comes as Alaska lawmakers continue to debate health care access, scope-of-practice expansions, and abortion policy, issues that have increasingly overlapped in recent legislative sessions.

Public testimony will be taken Monday on the bill, with more information at this link.